Christmas Countdown: If you don't have it, fake it...

No fireplace? 

Fake tree? 

No Christmas CD's? 

No problem!

A pine-scented candle, over on the left

(I'm always on the hunt for the most realistic Christmas tree scent since we can't have a real tree), 

+

Pandora Radio on the computer, 

+

a Fireplace video streaming through Netflix on the TV

(we do have a fireplace, but it's gas, so it doesn't have the nice pop & crackle of wood like the video), 

=

A nice holiday mood while I worked in my home office the other day.

Update 12/22/11: A Facebook friend posted a link to this fireplace video on YouTube, so you don't even have to have Netflix - although the YouTube video is shorter, so you have to press play more often ;)

Christmas Countdown: LEGO Christmas Tree

St. Pancras railway station in London features a Lego Christmas tree this year. According to the St. Pancras website, the tree is made from 600,000 Lego bricks.

These pictures are by Andrew Smith (McTumshie on Flickr)

What work must have gone into this tree! 

By McTumshie

By McTumshie

via In Pictures: The St Pancras LEGO Christmas Tree | Londonist

Christmas Countdown: Jim Gaffigan on holiday traditions

You know, it turns out we do some weird stuff for Christmas - trees inside, lights outside - but I still enjoy it all!

I love Jim Gaffigan's take on some of our traditions - the Christmas stuff is at the beginning, but he doesn't spare any of the holidays if you keep watching...

 
If you can't see the video above, you can find it here.

Countdown to Christmas: The Sith who Stole Christmas

via @DarthVader

The dogs' (and my) favorite chair

I had to move this chair into my office to make room for the Christmas tree in the living room. It has made my little office a bit overcrowded (notice the displaced items beside the chair), but the dogs seem to be enjoying it. Now they have an extra comfy spot while they hang out with me.

This is my "Martin Crane" chair - it's kind of ugly, doesn't go with any of the other furniture, it's kind of beat up and is even missing its two back feet; but the thing is so comfy I haven't been able to part with it. Maybe someday I'll re-cover it...or I might just keep it in the office where it doesn't really matter if it matches the living room, even though that will mean permanently eliminating some things from my office.

Do you have your own "Martin Crane" piece of furniture? Do you do any major rearranging to get ready for Christmas decorations? Let me know in the comments.

Update 12/28/2011: So, the chair didn't last long. I spent my evening taking the tree down EARLY (I usually leave it up until Jan 6) just so I could get the chair out of my office and back to the living room. The room is just too small for such a big chair - it was nice for a day or two, but then the whole room started to feel like a closet and I hated to spend any time in there. And now I'm not even sure I like the chair in the living room. As soon as the basement is cleaned out, I think it's going down there. It's a comfy chair, but it's just having a hard time finding a home in my home lately. :(  (I know, I know, first world problems...)

A thought for the day

Photo by denipet

"If the Christmas frenzy is wearing you out,
you've missed the point of Christmas."

from Dave Ramsey's December 2009 Newsletter

Christmas Countdown: Story of the Nativity 2.0

My friend Cheryl posted this on her blog the other day. I have to wonder how Joseph has time to play Farmville, but then, I wonder that about everybody...


Story of the Nativity 2.0 - Inspirational Videos - GodTube

via Cheryl St. John 

Christmas Countdown: Why we put an angel on top of the tree

Another funny story that finds its way to my email every year:

When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the pre-Christmas pressure. Then Mrs Claus told Santa her Mother was coming to visit, which  stressed Santa even more.

When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two others had jumped the fence and were out, Heaven knows where.

Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground and all the toys were scattered. So, frustrated, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum.

When he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drank all the cider and hidden the liquor. In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.

Just then the doorbell rang, and irritated Santa marched to the door,  yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree. The angel said very cheerfully, "Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?"

And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.

Try your hand at making electronic snowflakes!

Christmas Countdown: Broken Glass Jello

Once again, as I do every year, I was having little panic attack about what to bring for the staff holiday lunch/meeting (as I do for every party where I'm supposed to bring food). Here's where you get my usual disclaimer of "I am not a cook!" (Can you hear the Nixon impersonation?) Luckily, Monday morning I popped into Google Reader and someone had shared an entry from The Food Librarian with instructions for Christmas Broken Glass Jello and I thought "This, I can do!"

First, I'd like to show you that, yes, I did manage to make something that looks good as well as tastes good, and I even put a little thought into presentation (though not up to Martha Stewart's standards, I'm sure, but I was also limited by the fact that I have to be able to walk about a block with this dish, presents and my purse, so it needed to be in something sturdy and not too elaborate or unwieldy). I hope it goes over well at the lunch today.

From Mary's Ramble

Second, I would like to point out how much I looove Google Reader. The recipe came from a blog I didn't even know existed, but because Google Reader has a sharing option, a librarian hundreds of miles away who does read The Food Librarian saw the post, thought it was cool, shared it, and I saw it just when I needed it. If you're looking for a good RSS reader, I don't think you can do much better. Okay, off my Google fangirl soapbox for the day...I'm off to lunch!

Christmas Countdown: I'm Dreaming of Christmas Music

I tend to forget the existence of The Rat Pack and their ilk the rest of the year, but it just isn't Christmas without them. I need Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole (those three at least!) or something is just off about the season.

Here's one of my favorite Christmas songs, and it's just not right unless Bing sings it:



What's your favorite Christmas song, or which song is it just not Christmas without?

Christmas Countdown: Carols for the psychologically challenged

Another email. This one seems to be all over the internet, but I couldn't figure out where it originated:

1. Schizophrenia: Do You Hear What I Hear, the Voices, the Voices?
2. Amnesia: I Don't Remember If I'll be Home for Christmas
3. Narcissistic: Hark the Herald Angels Sing about Me
4. Manic: Deck the Halls and Walls and House and Lawn and Streets and Stores and Office and Town and Cars and Buses and Trucks and Trees and Fire Hydrants And...
5. Multiple Personality Disorder: We Three Queens Disoriented Are
6. Paranoid: Santa Claus Is Coming To Get Us
7. Borderline Personality Disorder: You Better Watch Out, You Better not Shout, I'm Gonna Cry, and I'll not Tell You Why 
8. Full Personality Disorder: Thoughts of Roasting You On an Open Fire
9. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells 
10. Agoraphobia: I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day But Wouldn't Leave My House
11. Senile Dementia: Walking In a Winter Wonderland Miles from My House in My Slippers and Robe
12. Oppositional Defiant Disorder: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus So I Burned Down the House 
13. Social Anxiety Disorder: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas While I Sit Here and Hyperventilate
14. Attention Deficit Disorder: We Wish You..... Hey Look!! It's Snowing 

And to one and all, a very Merry . . . wow! It IS snowing!!!

Christmas Countdown: Please Share Alike this holiday!

I saw this on TWiT Live between shows the other day and had to share



via BoingBoing

Christmas Countdown: Fruit Cake recipe

Here's another recipe someone emailed to me. I think I sense a theme here...

Photo by Matthew Bietz 

• One cup water
• One cup sugar
• Four large eggs
• Two cups dried fruit
• One teaspoon baking soda
• One teaspoon salt
• One cup brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• Nuts
• One bottle whisky

Sample the whisky to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whisky again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again.

Make sure the whisky is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer. Break two leggs and add one to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cup of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whisky. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.

Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whisky again and go to bed.

Christmas Countdown: Crown Royal Christmas Cookie Recipe

Here's another item someone emailed me sometime or another. I don't cook much, but I do enjoy baking cookies. I think I'll especially like trying these.

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Crown Royal

• Sample the Crown Royal to check quality.
• Take a large bowl, check the Crown Royal again, to be sure it is of the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.
• Turn on the electric mixer...Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
• Add one teaspoon of sugar...Beat again.
• At this point it's best to make sure the Crown Royal is still OK, try another cup.. just in case.
• Turn off the mixer thingy.
• Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
• Pick the frigging fruit off floor...
• Mix on the turner.
• If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a dewscriver.
• Sample the Crown Royal to check for tonsisticity.
• Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.... who giveshz a sheet.
• Check the Crown Royal.
• Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
• Add one table.
• Add a spoon of ar, or somefink.... whatever you can find.
• Greash the oven.
• Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.
• Don't forget to beat off the turner.
• Finally, throw the bowl through the window.
• Finish the bottle of Crown Royal.
• Make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.

Cherry Mistmas!

Christmas Countdown: Awesome lightsaber Christmas "tree"

I just love this. So clever! (Update: The picture doesn't seem to "stick" here in the post, so here's the direct link: http://twitpic.com/3bt05r)

by @seangirvan

via @StarWars

Christmas Countdown: What if it had been three wise WOMEN?

Someone emailed this to me last year. I'm not sure of the origin, but thought I'd share:

Christmas Countdown: "Phew! It took all weekend, but I got the tree up!"

I can't help but think this must look amazing lit up at night! Of course, the person who set his up probably got pretty "lit up" in the process, as well. :-)

This picture seems to keep floating around via email and pops up all over the internet (with the caption in the title of this post), but I can't figure out who took it. The url in the bottom right seems to be the same everywhere I look, but I couldn't actually find this picture on that site (and I doubt it originated there anyway). Oh well, enjoy.

Christmas Week: Santa?

LilGirl has reached that age: she believes in Santa Claus, but is hearing from a lot of her friends that he doesn't exist. She argues loudly with any show on TV that implies that Santa doesn't exist, has debates (mostly with herself) laying out the facts vs. the rumors, and had a very hard time falling asleep on Christmas Eve.

Today, hubby found this video that put her fears to rest. Apparently the daughter of tweeter (and actor) Peter Facinelli set out a spycam to "catch" Santa.  Here's the result:





(In the spirit of full disclosure, I had no idea Peter Facinelli was the source of the video until I started writing this post. Hubby sent the video to me and he didn't know either...so, it really doesn't count as anything Twilight-related. Right? Right? People are going to stop believing I'm not a fan...especially after a post that's coming up in the next week or so...)

Merry Christmas! Enjoy the "silent" monks

Christmas is for doggies, too